Jim Thompson House

Jim Thompson, an American who revolutionized the Thailand silk industry, was born in Greenville, Delaware in 1906. Prior to coming to Thailand, Jim Thompson served in the US Army. He came to Thailand as a part of a campaign to liberate the country and after leaving the service he decided to stay back in Thailand.

After his decision to retain in Thailand, Jim Thompson being an architect by profession, started to work on restoration of the Oriental Hotel. Then he moved his attention over the much neglected silk industry of the country.
Jim Thompson’s love towards Thai crafts and culture was not only directly towards Thai silk but He constructed a house which is a combination of six different traditional Thai style houses from around the country, the houses made of teak wood are considered to the best example of traditional Thai architecture.
The silk cottage industry popularly known as the Jim Thompson silk started after Jim Thompson, he employed a group of Chang (weavers) and provided technical assistance to those who were interested. In course of time many poor workers were benefited and many of them became the share holders of the Thai Silk Company.
Besides being a businessman, Jim Thompson was an ardent collector of Asian arts, and enjoyed by disclosing his artifacts to the visitors at his house, his collection of Buddhist arts from Thailand and the adjoining countries are still displayed in Jim Thompson house.
The most widespread story about the life of Jim Thompson is his mysterious disappearance from Malaysia on 26th March, 1967. In memory of Jim Thompson, James H W Thompson Foundation was created which not only preserves the culture of Thailand but also carries out research and seminars. Shannon Gilligan inspired by the disappearance of Jim Thompson in 1986 wrote the book “The Case of the Silk King”.